Halloween…A Time for Romance?

Happy October, friends!

Along with ghosts, goblins, and trick-or-treating, I learned Halloween was as much a time for romance as it was for pranks. Who would have thought?

To find love on the night of the dead, demons, witches, and goblins? Um, that’s a little bit concerning, no? Would you go ‘yay’ or be ‘boo-ed’ away by these strange Halloween traditions?

Many old Halloween traditions included fortune telling, and many of those fortune-telling rituals focused on how to learn about your true love. Here are a few Halloween love spells that I found in in my research. Most of these Halloween traditions were popular in the 1800s and later. Each is something that people said you could do on Halloween night to learn of your true love.

If Match.com hasn’t been working for you perhaps you want to try one of these vintage Halloween traditions, or perhaps you will just find them interesting like I did.

Oh, and the idea of seeing my true love as an apparition, as is the hope of many of these rituals, would be disconcerting. These Halloween traditions make me happy I’m not in the market for romance or marriage.

Reflection in the mirror

There are a few versions of a Halloween tradition that results in seeing your true love in a mirror at midnight.

One version says you should go secretly into a room at midnight on Halloween and cut an apple into nine slices. You should eat the apple slices in front of a mirror, holding each slice on the point of knife before eating it. As you do this you will supposedly see the image of your true love over your left shoulder asking for the final apple slice.

Another version says you should eat the apple while holding a candle and looking in the mirror. Then you will see your future husband or wife over your shoulder.

Yet another version says you should comb your hair while eating the apple and looking in the mirror in order to see your future spouse over your shoulder.

The most precarious version says that at midnight you should go down the stairs backwards and holding a mirror, in which you will see your future mate.

I suspect that last one only works if your future mate happens to be the paramedic who responds after your horrible fall from walking down the stairs backwards in the middle of the night.

Burning the nuts

Place two hazelnuts (or some say chestnuts) in a fire after naming each for the people in a couple. If the nuts burn together side by side the relationship will last. But if one of the nuts cracks or jumps out of the fire the couple will split.

Pulling the cabbage

The cabbage’s popularity also made its way into becoming a fortune telling device. One popular method was for a girl to steal a cabbage and then place that cabbage over a door. The first man the cabbage fell on would be the man she was supposed to marry. Women would also pick cabbages and use the stumps to predict information about their future husband.

Making cakes

Fortune telling in cakes has been a tradition for many different holidays. The Irish had their own version called Barmbrack where various objects were baked into bread to tell one’s future relationship status. If a person received a pea, that person would not marry in the upcoming year, a stick would signify an unhappy marriage, and a ring would mean that person would be wed within a year.

The three bowls

Place three bowls in a row. Fill one with clean water and one with dirty water. Leave the third bowl empty. Put the bowls in a random order then lead a man blindfolded to them to dip his left hand in one of the bowls. If he puts his hand in the clean water, he will have a young wife. If he puts his hand in the dirty water, he will end up with an old widow. If he puts his hand in the empty bowl, he will forever be a bachelor. This process should be done three times moving the bowls each time.

 The other end of the yarn

Throw a ball of yarn out the window (or into a pot of water on the stove, depending on the version), and hold onto to the other end. As you wind the yarn back up repeat, “I wind, who holds?” again and again. Before you reach the end of the yarn the face of your love will appear in the window and/or the name of your love will be whispered in your ear.

Making an initial from an apple skin

Here’s another Halloween tradition involving an apple. Pare an apple in one continuous piece of skin without breaking it. Move the skin around your head three times then throw it over your left shoulder. The letter that it forms on the ground is the initial of your future husband or wife.

So, this year when the moon is full and bright, try your hand at a fortune telling delight, you might just find your true love on Halloween night.

Happy Halloween Y’all!

 

My Upcoming Release!!!

Years ago, Lily Sutton was drawn to the new orphan boy in town. Unfortunately, she soon became the unfortunate victim of Grady Walsh’s mischievous deeds in school.
Lily is back home in Harmony, Kansas for good but is she willing and able to forgive the boy who made her childhood unbearable?
Grady Walsh lost his heart to the sweet girl the day she gave him a quilt. Can this boy-turned-man make up for the reckless actions of his youth?
Or will another steal her away before they have a chance to discover a kind of love that might just heal the pain from the past?

Pre-Order Link

 

Jo-Ann Has a Winner…

Judy A. Sexton

Congratulations, Judy A. Sexton! You are the winner of a $10 Amazon gift card. I will contact you shortly to arrange for delivery of the giveaway.

A great big thank you to everyone who stopped by to leave a comment on my Thursday post. I truly appreciate all the kind words about my upcoming release.

“Wash Day Monday”

 

Women have been organizing and keeping house from the beginning of recorded time. However, several centuries back, universal housekeeping regimes were adopted in England. These schedules were shared mother-to-daughter and sister-to-sister until they were widely accepted. Nursery rhymes even incorporated them.

Ivory Soap added a Mother Goose rhyme about washing on Monday to one of their ads (below). In Laura Ingalls Wilder’s book Winter Days in the Big Woods, the author notes the following schedule for homemakers:

              • Wash on Monday
              • Iron on Tuesday
              • Mend on Wednesday
              • Churn on Thursday
              • Clean on Friday
              • Bake on Saturday
              • Rest on Sunday

As a lover of history, I’m fascinated by these rituals in which our early sisters partook. However, while doing my research I came across a slightly different variation of the poem and the reasoning behind it that made perfect sense.

              • Wash on Monday
              • Iron on Tuesday
              • Bake on Wednesday
              • Brew on Thursday  
              • Churn on Friday  
              • Mend on Saturday
              • Church on Sunday

It’s worth noting that “brewing” was not so that early American homemakers could get tipsy. These were not early “desperate housewives!” It was necessary because settlers were told not to trust the water. So, they would brew and drink apple cider instead. Thompson notes that once the water controversy was cleared up, “Thursday was designated as marketing day.” Another transition happened when farmers began providing dairy products and it became unnecessary to have a segregated day for churning. “This relieved the city dwellers of churning and making cheeses on Friday, and they began using this day for housecleaning.”

However, the wash day process started days ahead of the actual washing.

On Saturdays, the laundry was gathered, sorted, and mended. Any rips or tears were sewn, socks darned. On Sundays, the clothing was then soaked overnight in warm water, of with a bit of soap, baking soda, or lye.

Once Monday arrived, the real work began. Women would rise early, gather a great deal of fuel for the fire, and haul many gallons of water to fill their wash, soaking, and rinse tubs, then they would go through the following steps:

  • wash clothes right side out, including applying soap and scrubbing on a washboard.
  • wring to rid clothes of excess water
  • wash the clothes inside out, including applying soap and scrubbing again on the washboard.
  • wring to rid clothes of excess water
  • boil the clothes in soapy water, agitating them with long sticks.
  • wring again
  • rinse clothes in fresh, clean water to remove all traces of soap.
  • wring once more
  • dry on clothesline, a nearby bush, or even laid flat in the grass

     

Whew!!! All I can say is as much as I’d want to travel in a wagon train…thank goodness for my Maytag washer and dryer!!!

In addition, it was also necessary to “blue” the laundry to rid the fabrics of the yellowing that came with age, washing, and wear. Bluing could be found in stores and mercantiles in the later 1800s. A bit of bluing would be added to the water causing the eye to see less of the yellow, and instead, see more of the white.

Other bleaching agents were buttermilk or turpentine for cotton material and ammonia for flannel material.

And just when you thought wash day was over, there was still starching and ironing to be done. Starch would be mixed with water, the clean, dry clothing submerged in the mix, and then wrung out again. Once the clothes were almost dry, a sadiron would be heated on the stove until hot, then applied to the clothing to remove the wrinkles. From my own memories, I recall my mother sprinkling liquid starch on my father’s Sunday white shirts, rolling them up before them in a plastic bag and refrigerating them until she was ready to iron.

Folding the clothes and putting away the clothes was the final step.

Imagine doing all this while chasing after the children, getting meals on the table, and doing a myriad of other things?

***********Giveaway***********

To win a $10 Amazon Gift Card answer the question below:

Were you aware of all the steps it took to wash clothes in the 1800s?

He was the most stubborn and prideful man she’d ever met.
She was a busybody who stuck her nose in his business at every turn!
With Christmas on the horizon, Claire McAllister has far too much to do to entertain dreams of a husband and family. Even if she feels inclined to help Lincoln Wyse outwit his three mischievous young daughters, it’s impossible to imagine the handsome widower seeing her as anything but a scolding schoolteacher.

Even though the pretty schoolteacher never turned a favorable eye to him, Linc Wyse’s heart skipped a beat whenever she pinned him with her mesmerizing green eyes. Beautiful or not, Claire McAllister was a meddling spinster who placed judgments on him and his family.

Yet, neither one can imagine how three little, mischievous matchmakers and a magical Christmas Eve sleigh ride will open their eyes to love…or how the Lord will awaken their faith and hope.

CLICK HERE

 

 

 

 

 

It’s Yee-Haw Day!

Welcome to Yee-Haw Day, the once-a-month day we’ve reserved to share our news with you – all sorts of fun news!

So check out the post below to get the details on the kinds of things that make us go Yee-Haw!!

Sarah Lamb

I’m not sure how it happened, but I have TWO releases this month! I’m incredibly excited, and wanted to make sure you didn’t miss out of those!

 

 

Find out more by clicking right here.

 

 

Find out more by clicking right here.

Have a wonderful start to your September!

Jo-Ann Roberts

Today is Release Day for my contribution to the Sleigh Ride Series…Here’s “A Sleigh Ride For Claire”!

He was the most stubborn and prideful man she’d ever met!
She was a busybody who stuck her nose in his business at every turn!
With Christmas on the horizon, Claire McAllister has far too much to do to entertain dreams of a husband and family. Even if she feels inclined to help Lincoln Wyse outwit his three mischievous young daughters, it’s impossible to imagine the handsome widower seeing her as anything but a scolding schoolteacher.

Even though the pretty schoolteacher never turned a favorable eye to him, Linc Wyse’s heart skipped a beat whenever she pinned him with her mesmerizing green eyes. Beautiful or not, Claire McAllister was a meddling spinster who placed judgments on him and his family.
Yet, neither one can imagine how three little, mischievous matchmakers and a magical Christmas Eve sleigh ride will open their eyes to love…or how the Lord will awaken their faith and hope.

CLICK HERE

Karen Witemeyer

I’m thrilled to share the news that my Pink Pistol novella, In Her Sights, recently placed 2nd in the Golden Scrolls Novella of the Year Award.

Yee Haw!

Linda Broday 

I’m an award winner!

Oklahoma Romance Writers Guild awarded WINNING MAURA’S HEART

FIRST PLACE Historical!!! 

Plus…..I Have a Historical Fiction Up For Preorder!

Releases 10/8/24

Shanna Hatfield

I’m thrilled to share the news that two of my books were award winners in the Readers’ Favorite Awards!

Challenging the Chef won the gold medal in the Christian Romance Contemporary Category.

Love on Target took the gold in the Christian Romance Historical Category.

I am so incredibly honored to win these two awards, and so thankful to the readers who loved these stories! Thank you!

My Favorite Things by Jo-Ann Roberts

You probably know from many of my blog posts, my books, and author takeovers I’ve done, that quilts are my favorite things…and they are, most definitely!

However, there is a very close runner-up…I love making Italian cookies! Baked and decorated mainly for the holidays, I have wonderfully fond memories of helping my mother, grandmothers, and aunts baking cookies for weddings, bridal and baby showers, and significant anniversaries.

About two weeks prior to the occasion, my mother and my aunts would gather in the evenings at Aunt Cel’s or Aunt Bonnie’s or Aunt Bea’s (that’s my mom!) home to begin the marathon. Soon the house would be filled with the sweet smells of sugar, lemon, orange, and vanilla extracts. Bowls of raisins, dates, and nuts waited to be added to the doughs. Bags of confectioner’s sugar mixed with water or milk were turned into frostings and glazes and waited to be topped with colored sprinkles.

Of course, a tasting  ‘just to make sure they tasted right” was a highlight. And as luck would have it, there always seemed to be a handful of “oops” that somehow never quite made it into the trays.

Recently, I had the chance to indulge in this favorite activity when my grandson and his lovely fiancé got married in early August. Despite the downpours and the humidity, it was a lovely, intimate wedding with their immediate families and college friends.

In mid-July, I made several varieties of dough and froze them. Because I was on a deadline for “Olivia’s Odyssey” (Westward Homes and Hearts), I made one different cookie a night…I even drafted Papa Bob into helping! The morning before we left for the trip to Virginia, I made up the trays and found a cooler large enough to transport them.

It’s already the end of August. I’ve got two more books to write before the holiday baking season begins…wish me luck!!

                   

Neapolitan Cookies                                                          Cherry Ricotta Cookies

 

                     

Chocolate Mexican Wedding Bells                      Thumbprint Cookies (courtesy of Papa Bob)

 

                       

Lemon Poppy Seed & Orange Cranberry Biscotti                               Russian Teacakes

Italian Cookies (Taralle)                         Fig Cookies                             Scandinavian Almond Cookies

     

Before the wrapping…In a traditional Italian Wedding Tray they would have used Jordan Almonds symbolizing how the newlyweds will share everything equally and remain undivided, and Jordan almonds are often given five at a time. Each almond represents a quality guests wish for the couple getting married: health, fertility, wealth, longevity and happiness. I had to substitute Hershey Kisses as my grandson doesn’t like almonds… I sure hope Hershey Kisses have the same effect!

Final Products!

Cutters, Sleighs, and Carioles -By Jo-Ann Roberts

Last November, my fellow Filly, Sarah Lamb, put out a call for authors to join a new series she was taking over for another author. The premise for the series, The Sleigh Ride, was straightforward…a sleigh would play a role in the romance.

In the fall of 2022, I was writing my first Christmas Quilt Brides book, Noelle. The hero discovers an old sleigh in Noelle’s barn. It had been a gift to her from her late husband. While it wasn’t the focus of the story, I still wanted the sleigh to be as authentic as possible.

So, on my first day of research, I discovered a sleigh and cutter were two different modes of winter transportation in the 18th and 19th century in America.
In the time before automobiles became popular, many people traveled by horse and buggy in the summer and by sleigh in the winter. Instead of having just one type of transportation in the winter months, people often had a couple of types for different purposes. 
 
Because cutters offered a cozier ride with the couple sitting close together, they were often used for courting. Just the right ingredient for snuggling up to a loved one on a snowy Christmas Eve! The cutter is built lower to the ground and requires more flexibility to ensure the jarring of the road does not break the structure.
The sleigh, though, is large enough to accommodate an entire family or a large group of friends. Sleighs were most often used to transport the family to church or another family member’s home. Some companies still use sleighs during the winter months to offer rides to visitors. The construction of the sleigh is sturdier and more rigid. Because the sleigh sits much higher than a cutter, the runners absorb more of the shock and protect the sleigh’s structure.
The Portland Cutter
The most popular sleigh in America was designed by Peter Kimball of Maine. With his sons, James and Charles, they championed the sleigh. The straight back offered more wind protection than the Albany sleigh, flat body panels and a goose-neck dash that protected passengers from snow kicked up by the horse. and was less expensive for carriage makers to create, and the simplicity appealed to the Puritan nature of the New England population.
 
The Portland was a lightweight sleigh made with speed in mind, and in fact these sleighs were often raced. Henry Wadsworth Longfellow even recorded going to watch sleigh races in Boston.
In 1876, Charles moved to New York to begin a partnership with Brewster & Company. The new Kimball-Brewster Sleigh was shown at the Centennial International Exhibition of 1876 in Philadelphia, the first official World’s Fair in the United States. 
 
Sleigh races were very popular in the U.S., and Portland Cutters were an early favorite. They gave way at the turn of the 20th century to specially made racing sleighs. BY 1910, a standard Portland Cutter could be purchased for $20. One ornate Portland Cutter built by Kimball and Clement was trimmed in “silk plush had silver mountings and cost $150.
The Albany Cutter (or Albany Sleigh)
 
In 1836, James Goold of Albany, New York developed a swell-sided cutter. The Albany body and runners were carefully steamed and bent into their unique shape. Known by a variety of names, the design was quickly copied by other sleigh makers. The Albany Cutter (or Albany Sleigh) is recognized as the second most popular sleigh type in America.
 
The curved body was a painter’s paradise. Rich colors were used to decorate the sleighs. Dark or light carmine (red), yellow, blue, even Scotch plaid and purple were used on the body. Trimming was often dark green or crimson. Yet, in 1878, it was reported that “it was formally the custom of sleigh-builders to employ a variety of fancy colors, stripes, and ornaments…but of late, plainness and simplicity have been preferred by city customers”.
       
Carioles

Although the Albany and Portland styles were manufactured in Canada during the same time as their American counterparts, a different type of sleigh, called a cariole, was often seen north of the friendly border. Gliding low to the ground instead of with 12-18″ high runners, the cariole looked similar to the old-world ones in countries like Russia where snowfall equaled that of Canada. You can see the style difference between the cariole and other sleighs of the time on this poster from the January 1899 issue of Harper’s New Monthly Magazine.

 

 

It’s lovely weather for a sleigh ride together with you.”

 

***Upcoming Release***

He was the most stubborn and prideful man she’d ever met!
She was a busybody who stuck her nose in his business at every turn!
With Christmas on the horizon, Claire McAllister has far too much to do to entertain dreams of a husband and family. Even if she feels inclined to help Lincoln Wyse outwit his three mischievous young daughters, it’s impossible to imagine the handsome widower seeing her as anything but a scolding schoolteacher.

Even though the pretty schoolteacher never turned a favorable eye to him, Linc Wyse’s heart skipped a beat whenever she pinned him with her mesmerizing green eyes. Beautiful or not, Claire McAllister was a meddling spinster who placed judgments on him and his family.

Yet, neither one can imagine how three little, mischievous matchmakers and a magical Christmas Eve sleigh ride will open their eyes to love…or how the Lord will awaken their faith and hope.

The Stars and Stripes – A Symbol of Our Independence

When we moved to a 55+ community in Connecticut in 2015, one of the first tasks we did was to install the Red, White, and Blue on our porch.

Immediately, we received a call from “the association”. According to the regulations, unless one or both of us were veterans, the flag must be removed. I won’t reveal what my husband’s response was, but though disappointed and upset, we complied with the regulation.

Fast forward to October 2018 in North Carolina…The day after the movers left, my husband tore through the moving boxes until he found our flag. With a new flagpole and tools in hand, he installed the flag.

The flag represents the unity of the United States. It serves as a reminder that despite our diverse backgrounds, we are all part of one nation. The stars and stripes symbolize the states coming together to form a cohesive whole. It also stands for individual freedom and self-expression. Each star represents a state, and each state has its unique identity. This celebrates the idea that within our unity, there’s room for individuality and diversity.

When we see the flag raised during moments of victory (like at the Olympics or after a military triumph), it becomes a symbol of success and achievement. It’s a way to honor those who have worked hard and overcome challenges.

 

 

 

Conversely, the flag is lowered to half-mast during times of mourning or loss. It pays tribute to those who sacrificed their lives for our country. The flag’s presence at military funerals is a solemn reminder of this sacrifice.

The flag has flown over battlefields, space missions, and historic events. It represents daring endeavors, courage, and the spirit of exploration. Chivalry, too, is reflected in the respect and honor we show toward the flag.

As a public school employee, I had the honor and privilege to recite the Pledge of Allegiance every morning of every school day for 37 years. For 2 or 3 minutes each day, my thoughts were not of cafeteria duty, parent conferences, bus duty, or lesson plans, but rather of lessons learned by those who fought to secure our freedoms. Still, today, I think of my immigrant grandparents who caught sight of Old Glory from a ship; of my father and uncles who fought in the European campaign in World War II to secure democracy for the world; of my son who put his advanced college plans on hold to join the U.S. Marines; and left his wife and baby son in 2003 to serve in Operation Iraqi Freedom.

Even today, despite the controversies and turmoil, the Stars and Stripes provide direction, a sense of purpose, and a shared identity. When we look at the flag, we’re reminded of our collective journey and the principles we hold dear.

 

Christmas Decor Crawl ~ Jo-Ann Roberts

In our family, the Christmas holiday is full of delicious food and decking the halls. As native New Englanders, our decor reflects old-fashioned themed displays. Vintage St. Nicholas figurines, crocheted snowflake ornaments, Buffalo-plaid, greens, holly berries, and seed lights on our mantle.

So, get yourself a hot drink, slip into a cozy Christmas sweater, and put up your feet…and let the Christmas Decor Crawl begin!

Welcome to North Carolina!

As the real meaning of Christmas, the manger is the first decoration displayed. This year, my husband added the lights reminding us that He is the Light of the World and His presence is needed more than ever.

Here is the first of four trees…with its burlap-wrapped base, felt mittens and hearts ornaments, Buffalo-plaid ornaments, and clear twinkle lights, it greets our visitors in the foyer.

Here is our dining room with its Williamsburg centerpiece, greenery on the chandelier, and more Buffalo plaid stars and runner.

Welcome to the kitchen!

Tree #2 is our Williamsburg ornament tree. We have a yearly membership at Colonial Williamsburg, and each year they send us an ornament depicting one of the historic buildings in the town. In addition to MORE twinkle lights, there are miniature colonial men, women, and animal ornaments.

When our children were young, we gave them ornaments each Christmas with the intention that they would display them on their own trees. Which they did, but it left our living room (#3) tree woefully bare. So, for the next 25 years, we’ve been steadily adding ornaments. The ornaments are eclectic…snowflakes, icicles, wooden Santa, Red Sox, Jack Daniels, motorcycles, guitars reflect our interests. We’ve also added ornaments from places we’ve visited…Biltmore Castle, Monticello, Mt. Vernon, North Carolina’s Colonial Capital, New Bern, Outer Banks, Myrtle Beach, Hilton Head Island, and Gatlinburg.

On the wall outside my office is a quilted wall hanging I during my annual quilt week a few years ago.

A trio of St. Nicholas figurines in front of tree #4 guard the landing to the upstairs. Several, several years ago, we purchased these from my husband’s co-worker. She crafted these using old pieces of fur, velveteen bathrobes, pieces of moss, and berries and twigs from nature. She also names each figure and gives him a back story.

There you have it…a little glimpse into Christmas in the Carolinas. From our home to yours, Happy Holidays!